Water Plan Draws Fire Senate Panel's Backing Ruffles County Officials

KISSIMMEE — Osceola officials say they are more committed than ever to fighting a plan to pump water to Brevard County after a Senate committee this week approved the idea.

''It makes me want to dig my heals in and slug it out,'' Commissioner Jim Swan said Thursday. He said the county will continue its battle to stop the South Brevard Water Management District's plan to drill water wells in east Osceola.

The 5 to 4 passage of Senate Bill 666 by the natural resources committee was Osceola's second setback in the water dispute with Brevard County. The 5th District Court of Appeal ruled in March that the district could meet its needs by drilling wells in Holopaw and pumping water to Brevard.

Osceola officials are appealing that decision, but County Commission Chairman Bill Beck said the fight is getting tougher. ''Every time you lose it moves up to another level and your options begin to run out.''

Brevard is seeking more water sources because Lake Washington, its primary source, can't meet the needs of Brevard's growing population. Studies predict that Brevard will need 70 million gallons of water a day by the year 2030.

This week, Osceola County commissioners moved closer to establishing their own water authority as a way to block Brevard's plan. The commissioners authorized a $30,000 water-need study that could be used to justify Osceola's claim that pumping millions of gallons a day from Holopaw would ruin the quality of Osceola water and deny the county access to its own supply.

The county is advertising for a qualified firm to conduct the study.

Osceola county attorney Neal Bowen said the Senate committee's approval is not a serious setback. ''It was a 5 to 4 vote and you can't get any closer than that,'' he said. ''I think that shows that there is no great groundswell of support for Brevard's position.''